Cover for show-cases.



' 0. JA'BGBR.

COVER FOR SHOW GASES. APPLIOATION. FILED our. 22, 1904.

PATENTED MAY 16,1905.

Patented May 16, 1905.

PATENT OFFICE.

OTTO JAEGER, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

. COVER FOR SHOW-CASES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 790,135, dated May 16, 1905. i Application filed October 22,1904. Serial No. 229,545.

. To all whom, it flea/y concern:

. which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to a new and useful 1mprovement 1n covers for show-cases, and has for its ob ect to provide means for utillzing one sheet of glass for the show-case cover and hinging said glass without the necessity of perforating the same for rivets and the like; and a further object of my invention is to provide an improved means for counterbalancing the weight of the cover and to ring a bell each time the cover is raised.

With these ends in view this inventionconsists in the details of construction and combination of elements hereinafter set forth and then specifically designated by the claims.

In order that those skilled in the art to which this invention appertains may understand how to make and use the same, the construction and operation will now be described in detail,

- referring to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, 1n wh1ch Figure 1 is a cross-section through the-case fitted with my improved cover, the cover being shown raised in dotted lines; Fig. 2, a rear view of the upper portion of the case.

My invention is intended as an improvement over an application filed by me on a, cover for show-cases, Serial No. 225,894. In this former application a weight is utilized" for counter: balancing the cover and the alarm is sounded mechanically, and in this application I utilize a spring for counterbalancing the weight of the cover and the alarm is adapted to be sounded electrically.

A represents one sheet of glass designed-to be used as the cover.

B represents two extensions extending rearwardly. Said-extensions on the lower side at the forward end arehinged to the show-case, as shown at O, and the forward end of said extensions near their upper side are slotted,

. and in these slots fits the rear edge of the glass A, which extends rearward of the show-case a suflicient distance. For this purpose the two I shaft I.

extensions B are connected together above the glass by means of the strip D. Said strip D has formed with it a strip E, extending from the center of the strip D forward to the forward edge of the glass A, where this strip E is turned over the forward edge of the glass, as indicated at E, and in this way the glass cover A is held securely in the frame.

F is a rod extending between the two extensions B, and to this rod is secured the upper end of a flexible connection G, the lower I end of which is secured to a pulley or sprocket- ,wheel H, which pulley or sprocket-wheel is secured upon a shaft I, which is journaled in the casing J, secured to the rear of the case.

K is a coil-spring, one end of which is secured to the case J and through the end of the This spring is so coiled that it always tends to wind the flexible connection G upon the pulley or sprocket-wheel H. Thus when the coverA is raised the spring K willcounterbalance the weight of the cover, and the flexible connection G will be wound upon the pulley H by means of the spring, and when the cover A has reached the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1 the center of gravity will be such that, taken in connection with the spring K, the cover will be held in this position until pulled forward by hand. Secured to the shaft I is a sprocket-wheel L, which gears into, a small sprocket-wheel M, which in turn is secured to a sprocket-wheel N, which in turn gears with a small pinion O, to the shaft of which are secured the fan governor-blades P. Thus when the cover A is pulled forward until the center of gravity is passed the weight of the cover will unwind the flexible connection G from the pulley H, and thereby revolve the shaft I, which in turn will cause the fan-blades P to revolve at a great speed, and said fan-blades in striking the air will govern the descent of the cover in the well-known manner of such governors. Of course any number of gear-wheels could be included in the train of gears, and any form of governor desired could be used, and I also wish it understood that I do not wish to be limited to this exact form of spring, as any form of spring may be used to counterbalance the weight of the cover.

It is sometimes desirable to have a bell which will automatically ring each time the cover of a show-case is raised, so as to notify the storekeeper should he be in another part of the store and any one should raise the cover in his absence. This can be accomplished in any suitablemanner desired. The means I have shown inthe drawings consists of an arm Q, secured to the pivot C. R is a springmetal standard secured to the show-case and insulated therefrom, and the upper end of this standard is bent at an angle, as shown in Fig. 2, the angle being such that when the arm Q descends with the raising of the lid it .will strike the inclined metallic portion of the standard R and press the same to one side as said arm travels downward until it passes from off the standard B, when said standard will spring back in its normal'position, and this position is such that when the arm Q returns or is raised by the lowering of the lid said arm will strike the opposite side of the standard R, which is protected by insulation S. The arm Q, is electrically connected, through an electric bell T, with one terminal of a source of electricity U, the other terminal of the source of electricity being connected to the standard R. Thus when the arm Q, descends and strikes the metallic portion of the standard R electrical contact is established, and the bell will continue to ring until the arm passes from ofl the standard; but when the arm Q,

returns and comes in contact with the insulating-strip S no electrical contact will be formed, and therefore the bell will not ring.

Of course I do not wish to be limited to the exact construction here shown, as slight modifications could be made without departing from the spirit of my invention.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new and useful is- 1. In combination with a show-case, a cover consisting of one pane of glass, a frame for holding said glass, the rearward portion of the frame slotted to receive the rear end of the glass, said frame extending down the centerlof the glass and above the upper surface of the same, the forward end of the frame tending outward from the rearward portion of the frame, the lower forward end of said extensions being hinged to the case, a shaft journaled to the case, a pulley secured to said shaft, a flexible connection extending from the outer ends of the extensions downward to the pulley to which it is connected, a spring tending to wind the flexible connection upon the pulley, and a governor adapted to be actuated by the revolving of the pulley, as specifled.

2. In combination with a show-case, a cover hinged to said show-case, an extension extending from the rear of the cover, a shaft journaled in stationary bearings, a pulley secured to said shaft, a flexible connection extending from the extension downward to the pulley to which it is secured, a spring tending to wind the flexible connection upon the pulley, said spring not being strong enough to raise the cover, a gear wheel secured upon the same shaft as the pulley, a train of gears extending from this gear-wheel to a governorshaft, blades extending outward from the governor-shaft radially to regulate and govern the revolution of the pulley-shaft, and means for sounding an alarm each time the cover is raised, as and for the purpose specified.

3. In combination with a show-case, a cover hinged to said show-case, extensions extending rearwardly from said cover, means for counterbalancing the weight of said cover so that when the cover is raised to a certain position it will remain in said position, means for governing the drop of said cover, an electric bell, a source of electricity, two contacts, one adapted to move with the cover, the other being secured to a stationary support, means for forming an electric circuit through the bell during a portion of the time that the cover is being raised but preventing any contact between the two contacts when the cover is being lowered, as specified.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto atfixed my signature in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

OTTO J AEGER. Witnesses:

DANIEL MOONEY, JEHU PRICE. 

